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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS, 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

CHAMPAIGN,  AUGUST,  1890. 


BULLETIN  NO.  11. 


EXPERIMENTS  WITH  WHEAT. 

In  the  following  pages  are  given  some  of  the  more  important  results 
obtained  during  the  past  two  years  from  experiments  made  with  wheat. 
The  report  includes  seven  trials  with  fertilizers,  in  part  made  at  the  Sta- 
tion and  in  part  made  at  other  places,  and  two  seasons'  tests  with  regard 
to  the  preparation  of  the  seed-bed,  the  quantity  of  seed  sown,  the  time 
of  sowing,  and  the  effect  of  the  time  and  manner  of  harvesting  on  the 
yield  of  wheat. 

The  trials  with  commercial  fertilizers  in  the  production  of  wheat  do 
not  indicate  that  their  application  will  be  found  generally  profitable  in 
central  Illinois.  In  an  experiment  made  in  1888-9  on  the  light-colored 
clay  soil  of  southern  Illinois,  the  apparent  increase  from  the  use  both  of 
stable  manure  and  commercial  fertilizers  was  very  marked  and  abundantly 
profitable.  Three  trials  were  made  in  three  separate  localities  this  sea- 
son, and  up  to  the  time  of  the  severe  weather  in  March,  the  field  notes 
indicated  an  appreciable  effect  from  the  use  of  stable  manure  and  com- 
mercial fertilizers-  How  much  this  severe  weather  affected  the  results, 
the  fertilized  plats  being  the  ranker  and  possibly  proportionately  more 
severely  injured,  can  not  be  told.  Although  the  per  cent,  of  increase 
from  the  use  of  stable  manure,  cattle  tankage,  and  superphosphate  was 
often  considerable,  being  as  high  as  92  per  cent,  in  one  case  and  in  many 
cases  25  per  cent,  or  more,  still  the  total  increase  in  yield  was  not  suffi- 
cient to  pay  for  the  cost  of  the  fertilizers  used.  Whether  or  not  dur- 
ing a  series  of  years  the  application  of  commercial  fertilizers  to  the  light- 
colored  clay  soil  of  southern  Illinois  can  be  made  profitable  in  the  pro- 
duction of  wheat  can  be  determined  only  by  a  series  of  carefully  con- 
ducted experiments;  but  with  the  information  so  far  obtained,  it  is 


338 


BULLETIN    NO.   If. 


[August, 


believed  that  the  prospects  are  sufficiently  good  to  make  it  desirable  that 
as  many  farmers  as  may  be  in  a  position  to  do  so  should  give  the  subject 
careful  tests  on  a  small  scale.  No  farmer  should  use  commercial  fertiliz- 
ers on  a  large  scale  unless  he  has  more  information  than  is  given  by 
these  trials. 

Fertilizers  containing  phosphoric  acid  generally  produced  the  most 
effect,  those  containing  potash  the  least.  Good  stable  manure  was  gen- 
erally equal  to  any  other  fertilizer. 

The  experiments  indicate  that  sowing  wheat  in  October  is  not  a  safe 
practice  in  this  latitude. 

It  would  seem  that,  between  one  and  two  bushels  per  acre,  the  rate 
of  seeding  affects  the  yield  much  less  than  other  items  in  wheat  culture. 

Drilling  wheat  in  plowed  ground  has  given  better  yields  than  drilling 
in  corn  stalks  or  drilling  in  open  ground  prepared  with  a  disk  harrow. 
Rolling  the  ground  after  drilling  did  not  injure  the  wheat  this  season, 
which  was  a  severe  one. 

In  the  one  trial  made  during  a  season  favorable  to  wheat,  no  benefit 
was  obtained  from  mulching  wheat  with  straw  at  the  rate  of  one  and  a 
quarter  tons  per  acre. 

In  general,  the  riper  the  wheat  the  larger  has  been  the  yield  from  a 
given  number  of  heads,  and  the  larger  the  kernels.  The  experiments  in- 
dicate that  if  the  wheat  were  rather  green,  shocking  and  capping  would 
result  in  a  larger  yield  than  harvesting  without  binding. 

Experiment  No.  61.      Wheat,  Effect  of  Fertilizers. 

A  test  of  the  effect  of  fertilizers  on  wheat  was  made  on  an  acre  of  land 
on  the  farm  of  Mr.  E.  E.  Chester,  near  Champaign.  The  land  had  previ- 
ously been  in  oats,  three  years  in  corn,  pasture,  clover  meadow,  and  wheat. 

May  8, 1888,  an  acre  of  winter  wheat  was  divided  into  four  plats,  each 
one  by  forty  rods,  and  fertilizers  were  sown  broadcast,  as  shown  in  table. 

Mr.  Chester  reported  June  nth  that  the  leaves  of  the  wheat  were 
broader  and  darker  green  on  plats  i,  2,  and  3  than  on  plat  4.  July  8th 
he  found  plats  i,  2,  and  3  riper  than  plat  4.  July  i3th  the  wheat  was  har- 
vested, and  August  3d  and  4th  it  was  weighed  and  threshed. 

Mr.  Chester  believes  that  plat  i  was  somewhat  injured  by  a  hedge 
one  rod  distant. 

TABLE  SHOWING  KIND  AND  QUANTITY  OF  FERTILIZER  USED,  YIELD  OF  GRAIN  AND 

STRAW. 


Plat 

Fertilizer. 

Lb.  of  fer- 

tiliz'rsused 
per  acre. 

Bu.   of 
grain  per 
acre. 

Lb.  of 
straw  per 
acre. 

Increase  or 
decrease  in 
yield. 

Value  of 
increase 

Cost  of 
fertilizers. 

i 

2 

3 
4 

Muriate  of  potash 
j  Muriate  of  potash 
|  Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
Nitrate  of  soda.  . 

100 

100  ) 

IOO  j 
IOO 

16.8 
20.5 

21.6 

17-4 

1,500 
i,  800 

2,020 
i,  680 

—0.6 

+3-1 
+4-2 

$2-33 
3-15 

$2.25 
4.00 

1890.]  WHEAT    EXPERIMENTS.  339 

Experiment  No.  62.     Wheat,  Effect  of  Fertilizers. 

This  test  was  made  on  an  acre  of  ground  on  the  Station  lands  during 
the  seasons  of  1888-9  an(^  1889-90.  The  tract  was  divided  into  one- 
tenth  acre  plats  each  2x8  rods,  which  were  fertilized  similarly  each  sea- 
son, except  that  plat  2  received  a  mulch  of  straw  in  1888  only. 

In  1888  the  land  was  in  corn,  which  was  removed  for  ensilage,  and 
for  several  years  previous  it  was  in  clover.  The  land  was  probably  of 
more  than  average  fertility. 

The  stable  manure,  cattle  tankage,  and  superphosphate  were  applied 
broadcast  in  the  fall,  after  the  land  had  been  plowed  and  just  before  seed- 
ing. The  seeding  was  done  September  21,  1888,  and  September  16,  1889. 
The  straw  mulch  was  applied  December  8,  1888.  The  muriate  of  potash 
and  nitrate  of  soda  were  applied  March  20,  1889,  and  April  i,  1890. 

Field  notes.  April  15,  1889,  no  decisive  differences  were  to  be  seen  in  the  plats. 
Plats  7  and  8  seemed  to  be  less  vigorous  that  the  other  plats.  Wheat  on  plat  I  appeared 
the  largest.  May  8,  1889,  wheat  on  plats  2,  7,  and  9  seemed  the  least  vigorous;  that  on 
plat  7  the  least  of  the  three;  that  on  plats  I  and  10  seemed  the  most  vigorous;  that  on 
plat  i  more  than  on  plat  10.  May  I4th,  culms  were  well  formed  but  there  were  no  heads. 
Wheat  on  plat  I  was  the  largest;  that  on  2  and  7  the  smallest.  The  wheat  on  the  rest 
of  the  plats  not  appreciably  different.  May  2Oth,  wheat  on  plats  I,  6,  9,  10,  and-ii  most 
fully  headed;  that  on  plats  2  and  7  least. 

December  4,  1889,  the  wheat  on  plat  I  was  larger  and  more  vigorous  than  on  the 
rest  of  the  plats.  No  difference  was  discernible  in  the  other  plats.  In  general,  the 
growth  of  wheat  was  rather  weak.  March  3,  1890,  it  was  again  noted  that  the  wheat  on 
plat  i  had  made  the  strongest  growth,  while  no  appreciable  difference  was  observed  in 
the  other  plats.  April  I,  1890,  the  wheat  was  all  weak,  having  been  severely  injured 
during  March.  The  wheat  on  plat  I  seemed  killed  more  than  on  any  of  the  other  plats. 
The  comparatively  warm  weather  during  the  winter  months  caused  a  larger  growth  than 
is  usual  on  all  the  plats  and  especially  on  plat  I,  and  the  cold  weather  of  March  had  a 
disastrous  effect. 

May  7,  1890,  the  stand  on  plats  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  and  10  appeared  about  the  same;  on 
plats  i  and  9  it  was  somewhat  poorer;  on  plats  7  and  8  it  was  considerably  poorer.  June 
3,  1890,  the  stand  appeared  poorer,  and  the  wheat  was  less  fully  headed  on  plat  I  than 
on  the  other  plats.  The  wheat  was  the  smallest  on  plat  7. 

Yield.  The  wheat  was  harvested  July  2  and  3,  1889,  and  June  30, 
1890,  and  threshed  August  5-8,  1889,  and  July  18,  1890.  The  results  are 
given  below.  They  are  not  at  all  conclusive.  The  plats  on  which  cattle 
tankage  or  superphosphate  (both  containing  phosphoric  acid)  were  applied 
yielded  appreciably  more  than  plat  7  on  which  no  fertilizer  was  applied. 
The  prices  of  commercial  fertilizers  vary,  but  the  cost  of  the  fertilizers 
per  acre,  as  applied,  was  about  $5  for  cattle  tankage  and  super- 
phosphate, $4  for  nitrate  of  soda,  and  $2.25  for  muriate  of  potash.  If 
it  is  assumed  that  the  increased  yield  of  plats  3  and  4  over  plat  7  was  due 
to  the  application  of  fertilizers,  the  fertilizers  left  a  small  profit  at  pre- 
vailing prices  of  wheat  (75  to  80  cents  per  bushel).  On  the  other  hand, 
nothing  had  been  applied  to  plat  2  except  a  light  straw  mulch  in  the  fall 
of  1888.  The  mulch  did  not  seem  to  have  any  effect  during  that  season; 
and  it  hardly  seems  probable  that  it  materially  affected  the  result  this  sea- 


BULLETIN    NO.   II. 


\_Augusi, 


son.     If  plats  3  and  4  are  compared  with  plat  2,  the  increased  yield  did 
not  pay  for  the  cost  of  applying  the  fertilizer. 

TABLE  SHOWING  FERTILIZERS  USED,  YIELD  OF  GRAIN  AND  STRAW,  AND  AVERAGE 
YIELD  OF  GRAIN  FOR  THE  YEARS  1888-9  ANI)  1889-90. 


Plat 

Fertilizers. 

1888-9. 

1889-90. 

Fertilizers 
used  each 
year,  per  acre 

Bu.  of  grain 
per  acre. 

Lb.  of 
straw  per 
acre. 

Bu.  of 

grain  per 
acre. 

Av.bu.gr. 
pera.,  two 
seasons. 

I 

2 

3 
4 

5 
6 

7 
8 

9 
10 

Stable  manure  

*ao  loads 
2,500  Ib. 
400  Ib. 
400  Ib. 
400  Ib.  ) 
loo  Ib.  j 
400  Ib.  ) 
loo  Ib.  \ 

loo  Ib. 
loo  Ib. 
loo  Ib   ) 
loo  Ib.  j 

37 
33-3 
37-9 
39-8 

39-5 

37-7 

30- 
33-3 
35-2 

40.2 

4,600 

4,150 
4,900 
5,000 

4,700 

4,250 

4,150 
3,90° 
4,000 

4,800 

15   I 

23 
23.8 
22.5 

23-7 
19.8 
15-8 
17-3 
14-3 

21.8 

26.1 

28.2 

30  9 
3i-2 

31-6 

28.8 
22.9 

25-3 
24.8 

3i 

fOat  straw  mulch  

Cattle  tankage  

Superphosphate  ...... 

j  Superphosphate    . 

j  Nitrate  of  soda  

j  Superphosphate    .    ... 

|  Muriate  of  potash  

None  

Nitrate  of  soda  

Muriate  of  potash  

j  Nitrate  of  soda  

j  Muriate  of  potash  

*  38,450  Ib.  in  1888-9.     t  Used  in  1888-9  only- 

Experiment  No.  69.      Wheat,  Effect  of  Fertilizers. 

This  experiment  was  undertaken  by  the  Station  on  the  light- colored 
soil  of  southern  Illinois  in  1888  at  the  suggestion  primarily  of  Professor  S. 
A.  Forbes,  State  Entomologist,  with  the  view  of  determining  the  effect  of 
certain  fertilizers  in  tiding  a  crop  of  wheat  over  an  attack  of  chinch  bugs. 
But,  the  chinch  bugs  having  disappeared,  the  experiment  has  been  carried 
forward  to  ascertain  the  direct  effect  of  the  fertilizers  in  the  production 
of  wheat.  Four  trials  have  been  made — one  in  1888-9  and  three  n 
1889-90. 

THE  FIRST  TRIAL  was  on  the  farm  of  W.  W.  Bowler,  one  and  one-half 
miles  south  of  Flora,  Clay  county.  A  tract  containing  two  acres  was 
divided  into  8  plats  each  2x20  rods.  It  had  had  the  following  crops: 
1881-2,  wheat;  1883,  corn;  1884,  oats;  1884-5,  wheat;  1885-6,  wheat; 
1887,  pasture;  1888,  oats.  In  the  spring  of  1885  the  wheat  was  plowed 
up  and  the  tract  was  sown  to  millet.  The  tract  appeared  to  be  a  partic- 
ularly even  piece  of  ground,  and,  taking  all  the  years  together,  Mr.  Bow- 
ler had  not  observed  that  one  part  was  more  productive  than  another. 
In  view  of  the  fact,  however,  that  the  yield  of  wheat  and  the  yield  of  hay 
hereafter  given  decreased,  in  general,  from  plat  i  to  plat  8,  and  that  plats 
i  to  5  yielded  so  much  better  than  plats  6  to  8,  he  has  suggested  that  as 
plats  i  to  5  were  nearer  the  feed  lots,  more  manure  may  have  been  spread 
on  them  in  previous  years.  The  suggestion  was  made  after  the  yields 
were  obtained,  and  is  given  that  all  possible  chances  of  error  may  be 
known.  The  case  illustrates  a  difficulty  with  which  the  experimenter  in 
this  line  of  work  has  to  contend. 


1890.] 


WHEAT    EXPERIMENTS. 


341 


The  kinds  of  fertilizers  used  are  given  in  the  table.  The  stable 
manure  was  spread  just  before  plowing.  The  cattle  tankage  and  super- 
phosphate were  spread  broadcast  just  before  seeding,  and  harrowed  in- 
The  nitrate  of  soda  and  muriate  of  potash  were  sown  broadcast  March 
29,  1889.  The  wheat  was  sown  September  27,  1888,  the  plowing  having 
been  done  one  week  before. 

Field  notes.  The  ground  was  in  fine  condition  when  the  wheat  was  sown,  and  Mr. 
Bowler  reported  that  the  wheat  came  up  very  well. 

December  7,  1888,  Mr.  John  Marten,  of  the  State  Entomologist's  office,  visited  the 
wheat  and  made  the  following  notes: 

"  The  plat  spread  with  stable  manure  is  in  fine  condition,  much  ranker  than  any 
other.  Wheat  covers  the  ground  well,  and  is  of  a  good  color.  Contrast  between  this 
and  the  plat  which  received  cattle  tankage  is  quite  sharp,  and  can  be  seen  clear  across 
the  plats.  Cattle  tankage  plat  is  next  below  the  stable  manure  in  condition  and 
appearance.  It  is  not  so  rank,  but  is  in  excellent  condition.  The  superphosphate  plats 
are  below  the  cattle  tankage  plat  in  condition  and  appearance,  but  the  contrast  between 
them  is  not  so  great  as  that  between  the  stable  manure  and  the  tankage.  Wheat  on  them 
seems  rather  thin  to  winter  well. 

"Where  no  fertilizers  were  used  the  wheat  shows  the  least  growth,  is  quite  poor  in 
color,  with  the  ends  of  the  leaves  generally  dead  or  withered.  The  plat  contrasts  sharply 
with  all  the  others." 

May  24th,  Mr.  Bowler  wrote: 

"The  wheat  on  plats  I,  2,  3,  and  4  made  a  good  growth  in  the  fall,  wintered  well, 
and  gives  promise  of  a  good  stand.  The  wheat  on  plats  5,  6,  7,  and  8  winter-killed  so 
as  to  leave  it  thin  on  the  ground  and  weak  in  the  spring.  Plat  I  is  the  best." 

Yield.  The  wheat  was  harvested  July  22d,  and  threshed  from  the 
stack  August  8th,  with  results  as  given  in  the  table.  Owing  to  a  mistake 
in  the  execution  of  the  work,  the  separate  yields  of  plats  5,  6,  7,  and  8 
can  not  be  given  with  certainty,  but  only  their  combined  yield.  But  as 
the  fertilizers  used  on  plats  6,  7,  and  8  were  put  on  in  the  spring  after  the 
wheat  had  been  too  severely  injured  by  frost  to  be  materially  helped  by 
them,  the  whole  acre,  for  purposes  of  comparison,  may  be  considered  as 
not  fertilized. 


TABLE  SHOWING  FERTILIZERS,  YIELD  OF  GRAIN  AND  STRAW,  WEIGHT  OF  WHEAT. 


Plat 

Fertilizers 

Pounds 

Bu.  of 

Lb.  of 

Lb.  per 

Wt.  in  grams 

Fertilizers. 

used  per 

of  grain. 

gram  per 

straw  per 

bushel. 

of  1,000  ker. 

acre. 

acre. 

acre. 

of  wheat. 

I 

Stable  manure   .  .  . 

20  loads 

439-5 

1 

62 

36.5 

2 

Cattle  tankage.  .  .  . 

400  Ib. 

413 

63 

36.3 

3 

Superphosphate.  .  . 

400  Ib. 

423 

I-27-  25 

2,740 

63 

36.4 

4 

j  Superphosphate  .  . 
j  Muriate  of  potash. 

400  Ib.  ) 
100  Ib.  j 

360 

J 

63 

35-7 

c 

None  

] 

6 

Nitrate  of  soda  .  .  . 

100  Ib.    I 

7 

Muriate  of  potash  . 

loo  Ib.  \ 

523-5 

8-75 

875 

61 

3i-7 

0 

Nitrate  of  soda.  .  .  . 

100  Ib.  j 

Muriate  of  potash. 

100  Ib.  J 

Yield  of  hay.  In  the  fall  of  1889,  Mr.  Bowler  sowed  plats  i  to  8 
with  timothy,  sowing  it  alone  as  is  customary  in  that  part  of  the  state. 
Throughout  the  year  the  superior  growth  of  the  timothy  on  plats  i  to  4 
was  noticeable.  In  the  spring  a  coating  of  begasse  from  a  sorghum  mill 


342 


BULLETIN    NO.   II. 


[August, 


was  put  on  plat  8.  The  hay  was  cut  on  each  plat  separately  the  morning 
of  July  9,  1890,  and  was  raked  and  shocked  in  the  evening.  The  morn- 
ing of  July  nth  it  was  weighed  with  the  following  results: 


TABLE    SHOWING  YIELD   OF  HAY  IN    1890  ON   PLATS  FERTILIZED  FOR  WHEAT  IN 

1888-9. 


Plat 

Fertilizers  used  on  the  wheat  in  1888-9. 

Pounds  hay 
per  plat,  1890 

Pounds  hay 
per  acre,  1890 

I 

2 

3 
4 

6 
7 
*8 

Stable  manure  .  .  . 

959 
722 
788 

549 
421 
368 
259 
323 

3,836 
2,888 
2,976 

2,196 

1,684 
1,472 
1,036 

1,292 

Cattle  tankage  .  .  . 

Superphosphate  .  . 

j  Superphosphate 
I  Muriate  of  potash 
None  

I 

1 

Nitrate  of  soda  .  .  . 

Muriate  of  potash  . 

j  Nitrate  of  soda 
1  Muriate  of  potash 

I 

[ 

*  Begasse  applied  in  1890. 

THE  SECOND  TRIAL  was  made  at  Mr.  Bowler's  in  1889-90  on  four 
and  one-half  acres  of  land  similar  to  that  used  the  year  before.  The 
tract  had  been  in  cultivation  22  years,  had  had  no  manure,  and  had  been 
in  grass  for  seven  or  eight  years,  except  four  years  ago  when  it  was  in 
oats.  The  tract  was  divided  into  18  plats,  each  2  x  20  rods.  The  land 
is  rather  level,  plats  14  to  18  inclining  to  be  wet. 

August  14  to  1 8,  1889,  the  tract  was  plowed  east  and  west  and  drain- 
age ditches  opened  in  same  direction.  September  i3th,  tract  was  disk- 
harrowed.  September  20,  21,  1889,  and  April  12,  1890,  fertilizers  were 
applied  as  shown  in  the  table.  The  wheat  was  drilled  on  September  23d. 

Field  notes.  November  9,  1889,  the  wheat  was  examined  by  Mr.  Bowler,  who  wrote: 
"All  the  wheat  is  doing  well,  but  there  is  not  that  marked  difference  between  that  which 
had  fertilizers  and  that  which  had  none  that  I  had  expected  to  find.  Plat  2  is  the  best, 
and  plat  3  next  best,  but  beyond  that  it  is  hard  to  tell  the  divisions  of  the  plat  by  the 
appearance  of  the  wheat." 

April  10,  1890,  a  visit  was  made  to  the  wheat,  and  although  some  wheat  had  been 
killed  by  freezing,  the  stand  was  found  to  be  fairly  good.  The  plats  having  stable 
manure,  cattle  tankage,  or  superphosphate  were  certainly  better  than  those  having  no  fer- 
tilizer, or  having  only  a  potash  or  nitrate  fertilizer.  Plat  having  stable  manure  was  prob- 
ably the  largest  and  thickest,  the  cattle  tankage  plat  next,  and  the  superphosphate  plat 
next.  Plat  4  was  very  little  poorer  than  plats  2  and  3,  or  plats  5  and  6;  but  plat  7  was 
distinctly  poorer  than  plats  5  and  6,  or  8  and  9.  Plats  10  to  18  were  smaller  and  thinner 
than  plats  2  to  9,  but  no  special  difference  could  be  seen  between  these  plats. 

The  wheat  was  harvested  June  24,  1890,  when  the  following  notes  were  taken:  Plat 
2  appeared  better  than  plat  3.  Plats  5  and  6  were  distinctly  better  than  plat  7,  but  did 
not  appear  much  better  than  plat  4.  Plat  8  was  distinctly  taller  and  thicker  than  plat  7. 
Plat  9  was  taller  than  plat  8  and  distinctly  taller  and  thicker  than  plat  10.  Plat  9  is  the 
best  in  the  field  Plats  10,  n,  12,  and  13  are  much  alike.  Plats  14  and  15  are  taller 
than  plats  10  and  13,  or  than  plat  16.  Plat  17  seems  better  than  plats  16  or  18. 

Yield.     The  wheat  was  threshed  July  n,  1890,  from  the  shock,  with 
the  results  given  in  the  table.     The  increase  or  decrease  in  yield  from  the 


1890.] 


WHEAT    EXPERIMENTS. 


34? 


use  of  the  fertilizers  is  computed  by  comparing  with  the  average  yield  of 
the  two  nearest  plats  having  no  fertilizer.  The  value  of  the  increase  is 
computed  at  75  cents  per  bushel;  the  cost  of  the  fertilizers,  at  the  fol- 
lowing prices  per  hundred  weight:  Cattle  tankage  and  superphosphate, 
$1.25;  sulphate  of  potash,  $1.50;  and  nitrate  of  soda,  $4. 

TABLE  SHOWING  FERTILIZERS,  YIELD  AND  WEIGHT  OF  GRAIN,  INCREASE,  COST  OF 

FERTILIZERS. 


Plat 

Fertilizers. 

When 
ap- 
plied. 

Quantity 
applied 
per  acre. 

Yield 
ofgr'n 
Bus. 
per  a. 

Wt.  in 
grams 
of  looo 
kern'ls 

+  In- 
crease 
or-de- 
crease 
in  y'ld 

Per  ct. 
of  in- 
crease 

Value 
of  in- 
crease 

Cost  per 
acre  of 
fertiliz- 
ers. 

2 

3 
4 
5 
6 

8 
9 

10 

ii 

12 
13 
H 

»5 

16 

17 
18 

Stable  manure.  .  . 
Cattle  tankage.  .  . 
None         .... 

Fall  .  . 
Fall  .  . 

Fall  .  . 
Fall  .  . 
Spring 

Fall  .  . 
Fall  .  . 
Spring 
Spring 

Fall  .  . 
Fall  .  . 

Fall  .  . 
Fall  .  . 
Spring 
Spring 

Spring 
Spring 

20  loads 
400  Ib. 

15-7 
13-4 
13-7 
12.6 

15-3 
10.9 
17.1 

21.3 

13.2 
10.7 
10.9 
11.7 

15-5 

IS 

14.6 
15 

12 

33-3 
3i  6 
32.1 
32.1 

32.7 

30.9 
32.3 

32.8 

30.3 

27.6 

29-5 
28.9 

29.1 
29.8 

3i-4 
30.9 
30.1 

+3.4 
+  I.I 

28 
9 

$2.55 
0.83 

? 
$  5.00 

Superphosphate., 
j  Superphosphate.  . 
|  Sulphate  of  potash 
None     

400  Ib. 
400  Ib.  | 
200  Ib.  J 

400  Ib. 
400  Ib.  ) 
200  Ib.  > 
100  Ib.  ) 

+0-3 
+3 

+5" 
+9.2 

2 
25 

41 

76 

0.23 

2.25 

3-75 
6  90 

5.00 
8.00 

5.00 

11.00 

Superphosphate.  . 
(  Superphosphate.  . 
•J  Sulphate  of  potash 
(  Nitrate  of  soda.  .  . 
None  

Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
Sulphate  of  potash 
None    

loo  Ib. 

200  Ib. 

—1.8 
—1.6 

4.00 
3.00 

j  Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
|  Sulphate  of  potash 
j  Nitrate  of  soda.  .  . 
|  Sulphateofpotash 
None  ...        ... 

loo  Ib.  ) 
200  Ib.  j 
loo  Ib.  j 
200  Ib.  j 

+2.3 
+1.8 

17 
14 

1-73 
1-35 

7.00 
7.00 

Nitrate  of  soda  .  . 
Sulphate  of  potash 

100  Ib. 
200  Ib. 

+1.8 

—  1.2 

14 

i-35 

4.00 
3  oo 

THE  THIRD  TRIAL  was  made  on  the  farm  of  J.  W.  McCluer,  in 
Marion  county,  three  miles  south  of  Farina.  The  tract  contained  two  and 
one-fourth  acres,  and  was  divided  into  plats  each  2x20  rods.  The  soil 
of  this  tract  is  believed,  by  Mr.  McCluer,  to  be  fully  up  to  the  average 
of  tillable  soil  in  that  county,  but  it  had  had  no  manure  applied  to  it  for 
many  years.  It  yielded  good  crops  of  oats  in  1888  and  1889;  was  in 
corn  in  1887,  and  in  pasture  six  years  before. 

The  tract  was  plowed  about  August  i5th  and  September  i6th,  was 
prepared  for  seeding  by  disking  and  harrowing.  Stable  manure  was  spread 
on  plat  3  and  by  mistake  on  about  one-fifth  of  plat  2.  September  2oth 
the  other  fertilizers  were  sown  broadcast,  and  the  wheat  drilled. 

Field  notes.  November  3d,  Mr.  G.  W.  McCluer  visited  the  tract  and  reported  that 
plat  3  was  larger  than  the  other  plats,  and  that  plat  I  was  larger  than  those  not  fertilized 
or  those  fertilized  with  superphosphate.  January  3,  1890,  Mr.  J.  W.  McCluer  wrote: 

"The  plats  on  which  commercial  fertilizers  were  used  are  better  than  those  on  which 
nothing  was  used.  The  difference  is  quite  plain;  but  I  cannot  see  any  difference  between 
the  different  kinds  of  commercial  fertilizers.  The  plat  on  which  stable  manure  was 
applied  is  far  in  advance  of  all  the  rest.  It  can  be  told  from  the  others  as  far  as  it  can 
be  seen." 

April  9,  1890,  the  wheat  was  visited  and  found  to  have  been  badly  injured  by  freez- 
ing. The  wheat  where  stable  manure  was  applied  was  about  one-half  a  stand, 


344 


BULLETIN    NO.    II. 


[August, 


and  very  much  thicker  and  larger  than  on  any  of  the  other  plats.  The  difference  was 
very  striking.  On  the  other  plats  the  wheat  was  about  an  eighth  of  a  stand.  There  was 
a  slight  but  appreciable  difference  in  favor  of  the  plat?  having  commercial  fertilizers  over 
those  having  nothing.  The  plat  having  cattle  tankage  seemed  a  trifle  stronger  than 
those  having  superphosphate.  The  wheat  was  killed  during  March.  Mr.  McCluer  says 
that  when  the  wheat  was  at  its  best  there  was  a  marked  difference  in  favor  of  the  fertil- 
ized plats  when  compared  with  the  unfertilized.  The  wheat  was  harvested  June  26, 
1890,  when  one  reason  for  the  better  stand  on  plat  3  was  apparent.  It  was  partly  timo- 
thy, which  had  been  sown  with  the  manure. 

Yield.  The  wheat  was  threshed  from  the  shock  July  12,  1890,  and 
yielded  as  given  in  the  table.  The  value  of  the  increase  and  the  cost  of 
the  fertilizers  are  estimated  on  the  basis  given  above.  It  was  not  intended 
to  use  plat  9  in  comparing  results,  as  it  was  next  a  hedge  and  therefore 
deemed  unsuitable.  Plats  8  and  9,  however,  were  harvested  together. 
The  yield  for  the  two  plats  is  probably  slightly  lower  than  the  yield  from 
plat  8.  It  is  not  used  in  determining  increase  in  yield. 

TABLE  SHOWING  FERTILIZERS,  YIELD  AND  WEIGHT  OF  GRAIN,  INCREASE,  COST  OF 

FERTILIZERS. 


Plat 

Kinds  of  fer- 
tilizers. 

Quantity 
used  per 
acre. 

Yield  of 
grain. 
Bus.  per 
acre. 

Wt.  in 

grams  of 
loooker. 

Increase 
in  yield. 

Per  cent, 
of 
increase. 

Value  of 
increase. 

Cost  per 
acre  of 
fertilizer 

I 

2 

3 
4 
5 
6 

8&Q 

Cattle  tankage.  .  . 
Stable  manure  on 
one-fifth  .... 

400  Ib. 

7-1 

5-5 

is 

6.6 
3-6 
5-7 
3.3 

27.2 

27 
29.7 
24.9 
26.2 
24.4 
24  3 

3-4 

1.8 
3-3 

92 

49 
9° 

$2-55 

i  35 
2.48 

$5.00 

? 

? 

Stable  manure.  .  . 
None  

20  loads 

Superphosphate.  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

2.9 

78 

2  is 

5.00 

Superphosphate.  . 
None.  . 

400  Ib. 

2 

54 

1-5° 

5.00 

THE  FOURTH  TRIAL  was  made  on  the  farm  of  A.  M.  and  H.  N.  Wood- 
ward, one  mile  west  of  Odin,  Marion  county,  which  is  cultivated  by  A. 
Barndt.  The  tract  of  two  and  one-fourth  acres  was  divided  into  9  plats 
each  2x20  rods.  Plat  i,  being  next  a  row  of  trees,  was  not  used.  The 
tract  had  been  in  timothy  meadow  several  years,  and  had  had  no  manure 
applied  to  it  so  far  as  known.  The  land  is  comparatively  high  and  level, 
requiring  no  drainage  ditches. 

The  land  was  plowed  about  June  12,  and  again  September  i,  1889. 
September  i8th  to  2jd  the  seed-bed  was  prepared  by  harrowing  both 
ways;  stable  manure  and  commercial  fertilizers  were  spread;  the  tract 
was  harrowed,  and  the  wheat  drilled. 

Field  notes.  December  24,  1889,  Mr.  H.  N.  Woodward  wrote: 
"The  wheat  is  looking  well,  and  going  into  winter  quarters  in  first-rate  condition.  It 
is  very  hard  to  tell  which  plats — the  stable  manure,  cattle  tankage,  or  superphosphate — 
look  best.  All  show,  in  a  marked  degree,  the  benefit  of  the  fertilizers.  It  is  noticeable 
to  the  very  line  where  the  fertilizers  were  applied.  The  wheat  has  a  better  growth  and 
stronger  appearance." 

April  9,  1890,  the  wheat  was  visited,  and  it  was  found  that  the  plats  having  fertiliz- 
ers were  distinctly  larger  that  those  not  receiving  fertilizers.     The  stand  seemed  to  be 


1890.] 


WHEAT    EXPERIMENTS. 


345 


better  also.  The  cattle  tankage  plat  seemed  best,  the  superphosphate  plats  next;  but 
the  plat  having  stable  manure  seemed  more  irregular  and  less  distinct  from  adjoining  plats. 
The  wheat  was  harvested  June  23,  1890,  at  which  time  the  difference  between  the  plats 
was  very  slight,  consisting  merely  in  the  fertilized  plats  having  a  better  stand.  Neither 
the  growth  of  the  straw  nor  the  heads  seemed  to  have  been  affected. 

Yield.  The  wheat  was  threshed  from  the  shock  on  July  3d,  with  the 
results  as  given  in  the  table.  For  method  of  preparing  table,  see  second 
trial,  p.  343. 

TABLE  SHOWING  FERTILIZERS,  YIELD  AND  WEIGHT  OF  GRAIN,  INCREASE,  COST  OF 

FERTILIZERS. 


Plat 

Fertilizers. 

Quantity 
used  per 
acre. 

Bu.  of 

grain  per 
acre. 

Wt.  in 
grams  of 
loooker. 

Increase 
in  yield. 

Per  cent. 
of 
increase. 

Value  of 
increase. 

Cost  per 
acre  of 
fertilizer 

i 

2 

3 

^ 

6 

7 
8 

Stable  manure.  .  . 
None  . 

20  loads 

10.5 
9.1 

10.  I 

8.1 
n.  i 

9 
12.9 

"5 

34-8 
31-7 
33-i 
32.1 

33-4 
33 

33  * 
33-6 

1.9 

22 

$i-43 

? 

Cattle  tankage. 
None  .      ... 

400  Ib. 

1-5 

17 

I-I3 

$5.00 

Superphosphate  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

2-5 

29 

1.88 

5-00 

Superphosphate  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

2.6 

25 

1.95 

5-00 

The  table  and  diagram  combined,  on  following  page,  give  a  summary 
of  most  of  the  experiments  with  fertilizers  upon  wheat. 

Experiment  No.  6j.     Wheat,  Method  of  Soil  Preparation. 

Two  trials  have  been  made  on  the  Station  grounds,  one  in  1888-9 
and  one  in  1889-90. 

In  the  first  trial  i.i  acres  of  wheat  were  sown  in  standing  corn,  the 
land  having  been  in  mammoth  clover  before.  The  corn  yielded  at  the 
rate  of  78  bushels  per  acre.  About  10  rods  distant,  where  corn  had  been 
grown  and  removed  for  ensilage,  the  land  having  been  previously  treated 
similarly,  three  plats  were  laid  off,  each  2x8  rods.  One  was  plowed, 
rolled,  disked,  harrowed,  and  rolled;  one  was  disked  twice  without  plow- 
ing; and  to  one  nothing  was  done. 

The  wheat  was  drilled,  September  22d,  in  the  standing  corn  at  the 
rate  of  a  little  less  than  one  and  one- quarter  bushels,  and  on  the  other  plats 
at  little  more  than  that  quantity.  Reference  to  Experiment  No.  6j,  Quan- 
tity of  Seed  per  Acre,  will  show  that  this  did  not  materially  affect  the  result. 

In  the  first  part  of  the  season  the  wheat  sown  in  the  corn  stubs,  with- 
out any  preparation  of  the  seed-bed,  looked  the  best,  while  that  in  the 
standing  corn  looked  as  well  as  the  other  plats.  By  spring  the  wheat  in 
the  standing  corn  looked  distinctly  smaller  and  thinner,  while  the  wheat 
sown  in  the  corn  stubs  looked  better  than  that  on  the  plowed  land.  Be- 
fore harvest,  however,  that  on  the  plowed  land  looked  the  largest. 


346  BULLETIN    NO.    II.  [August, 

DIAGRAM  SHOWING  EFFECT  OF  FERTILIZERS  UPON  YIELD  OF  WHEAT. 


Fertilizer  per  acre. 

Yield  of  wheat  per  acre. 

Name. 

Qu'ntity 

Bu. 

One  bu.  to  one-tenth  inch. 

Station  grounds, 
1889-90  . 
Stable  manure.  .  . 
*None  

20  loads 

'5-1 

23    o 

23.8 
22.5 

23.7 
19.8 

15-8 
17-3 
14-3 

21.8 

27.2 
8-75 

iS-7 
13-4 
13  7 

12.6 

15-3 
10.9 
17.1 

21.3 

13.2 
10.7 
10.9 
«.  7 
i5-5 

15 
14.6 
15 

12 

7-i 

|:« 

6.6 
3-6 

5-7 

10.5 
9.1 

10.  I 

8.1 
ii.  i 

9 
12.9 

"•5 

Cattle  tankage.  .  . 
Superphosphate.  . 
Superphosphate  . 
Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
Superphosphate  . 
Muriate  of  potash 
None  

400  Ib. 
400  Ib. 
400  Ib.  ) 
loo  Ib.  f 
400  Ib.  j 
loo  Ib.  [ 

Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
Muriate  of  potash 
Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
Muriate  of  potash 
flora,    Clay    Co. 
1888-89. 
For  kind  and 
quantity  see  p-34i 
None,  see  p.  341  . 
flora,   Clay  Co  .  , 
1889-90. 
Stable  manure.  .  . 
Cattle  tankage.  .  . 

loolb. 
loo  Ib. 
loo  Ib.  ) 
loolb.  \ 

""^^^^ 

20  loads 
400  Ib. 

None  
Superphosphate.  . 
Superphosphate.  . 
Sulphate  of  p'tash 

400  Ib. 
400  Ib.  ) 

200  Ib.   \ 

Superphosphate.  . 
Superphosphate. 
Sulphate  of  p'tash 
Nitrate  of  soda  .  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

400  Ib.  ) 
200  Ib.  >- 

100  Ib.  ) 

|^=—  ^^^==«= 

Nitrate  of  soda.  . 
Sulphate  of  p'tash 

loo  Ib. 
200  Ib. 

Nitrate  of  soda  .  . 
Sulphate  of  p'tash 
Nitrate  of  soda  .  . 
Sulphate  of  p'tash 
None  

loolb.  ) 
200  Ib.  \ 
100  Ib.  i 

200  Ib.   j 

Nitrate  of  soda  .  . 
Sulphate  of  p'tash 
Marion  Co.,  near 
Farina,    1889-90. 
Cattle  tankage.  .  . 
Stable  manure.  .  . 
None  

loo  Ib. 
200  Ib. 

400  Ib. 
20  loads 

==- 

Superphosphate  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

Superphosphate  . 
Odin,  Marion 
Co.,  1889-90. 
Stable  manure.  .  . 
None    

400  Ib. 
20  loads 

:^^ 

Cattle  tankage.  .  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

Superphosphate  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

sssss™ 

Superphosphate  . 
None  

400  Ib. 

mssssssr 

*  Mulch  of  oat  straw,  2,500  Ib.,  i888-J 


1890.]  WHEAT    EXPERIMENTS.  347 

The  wheat  ripened  about  equally,  was  harvested  July  2  and  3,  1889, 
and  threshed  from  the  shock  July  2gth  and  3oth,  with  the  following  results: 

TABLE  SHOWING  SOIL  PREPARATION,  YIELD  OF  WHEAT  AND  STRAW. 


Plat. 

Soil  preparation. 

Yield  per  acre. 

Grain,    bu. 

Straw,   Ib. 

12,  13 
14 

15 
16 

Drilled  in  standing  corn,  no  other  preparation  

22.6 

42 
39-1 
39-2 

2,350 

5,5oo 
4,3oo 
4.800 

Drilled  in  plowed  ground  

Drilled  in  corn  stubs,  twice  disked  

Drilled  in  corn  stubs   no  other  preparation.      .  .        

The  second  trial  was  made  in  1889-90,  on  the  i.i  acres  where  wheat 
was  drilled  in  standing  corn  the  year  previous.  The  tract  was  divided 
into  four  plats.  On  two  of  the  plats  the  stubble  was  burned.  One  of 
these  and  one  on  which  the  stubble  was  not  burned  were  plowed  about 
six  inches  deep.  The  plowed  plats  were  rolled,  disked,  harrowed,  and 
rolled  before  drilling  the  wheat.  The  other  plat  on  which  the  stubble 
was  burned  was  disked  six  times  before  drilling.  Each  plat  was  drilled 
September  14,  1889,  at  the  rate  of  about  one  and  one-half  bushels  per 
acre.  It  was  intended  to  sow  wheat  on  the  unplowed  plat  on  which  stub- 
ble was  not  burned,  but  it  was  found  impracticable  to  prepare  the  seed- 
bed on  account  of  the  quantity  of  stubble. 

The  wheat  killed  out  much  worse  on  the  plat  which  Was  plowed  and 
the  stubble  not  burned  than  on  the  other  plats.  It  may  be  questioned 
whether  this  was  due  entirely  to  the  method  of  preparing  the  seed-bed, 
as  the  ground  was  somewhat  lower  on  this  plat. 

The  plats  were  harvested  June  3oth  and  threshed  July  lyth,  with  the 
following  results: 

TABLE  SHOWING  SOIL  PREPARATION  AND  YIELD  OF  WHEAT. 


Kind  of  soil  preparation. 

Yield  of  grain. 
Bu.  per  acre. 

Plowed,  stubble  burned     

26 

Plowed,  stubble  not  burned  

lO.? 

Disked  only,  stubble  burned  

17.9 

Experiment  No.  65.      Wheat,  Quantity  of  Seed  per  Acre. 

This  experiment  was  tried  in  1888-9  an(^  ^n  1889-90.  The  land  used 
in  1888-9  was  in  corn  one  year,  subsequent  to  being  in  mammoth  clover 
for  several  years.  Four  plats,  each  2x6  rods,  were  drilled  at  the  rate  of 
4,  5,  6,  and  8  pecks  of  wheat  per  acre  September  22,  1888.  The  land 
had  just  previously  been  plowed,  rolled,  disked,  harrowed,  and  rolled. 

The  land  used  in  1889-90  had  been  used  as  a  nursery  for  some  years, 
and  during  the  season  of  1889  was  in  sweet  fodder  corn.  Five  plats, 
each  2x4  rods,  were  drilled  at  the  rate  of  3,  4,  5,  6,  and  8  pecks  of  wheat 
per  acre  September  17,  1889.  The  land  had  just  previously  been  plowed, 
rolled,  disked  twice,  harrowed,  and  rolled. 

No  difference  was  noticed  between  plats  at  any  time  except  that  due 
to  the  thickness  of  seeding. 


348 


BULLETIN    NO.    II. 


[August, 


The  following  table  gives  the  yield  of  grain  in  bushels,  and  the  straw 
in  pounds  per  acre. 

TABLE  SHOWING  AMOUNT  OF  SEED,  AND  YIELD  OF  WHEAT  AND  STRAW. 


Number  of  pecks 
sown  per  acre. 

Yield  per  acre. 

1888-9. 

1889-90. 

Grain,   bu. 

Straw,  Ib. 

Grain,   bu. 

Straw,  Ib. 

3 
4 

6* 
8 

24.6 
28.2 
26.3 

24-5 
28.3 

2,215 
2,620 
2,740 
2,200 
2.740 

36.2 
38-3 
36.3 
35-4 

4,560 
4,700 

4,75° 
4.54° 

*  In  1889  a  plat  adjacent  to  this  was  drilled  at  the  same  rate  and  afterwards  rolled. 
This  plat  yielded  at  the  rate  of  26.5  bushels  per  acre. 

Experiment  No.  66.      Wheat,  Time  of  Sowing. 

The  character  of  the  two  seasons  during  which  this  experiment  has 
been  tried,  has  materially  influenced  the  results.  The  land  used  was  sim- 
ilar to  that  used  in  Experiment  No.  65. 

In  1888,  three  plats,  each  2x6  rods,  and  in  1889,  four  plats,  each  4x4 
rods,  were  drilled  at  the  rate  of  6  pecks  per  acre  at  the  date  specified  in 
the  table.  In  1888,  the  land  was  plowed  and  rolled  three  days  before  the 
first  seeding,  and  each  plat  was  disked,  harrowed,  and  rolled  just  before 
each  seeding.  In  1889,  the  land  was  plowed  one  day  before  the  first  seed- 
ing, and  each  plat  was  rolled,  disked  twice,  harrowed  twice,  and  rolled 
just  before  seeding. 

Field  notes.  December  12,  1888,  the  first  seeding  was  strong  and  vigorous,  covering 
the  ground  well;  the  second  seeding  was  only  moderate  in  size;  the  last  seeding  was 
small  and  weak. 

March  20,  1889,  the  plats  looked  very  similar.  May  I4th  the  wheat  of  the  first  two 
sowings  was  not  appreciably  different,  while  the  last  was  somewhat  smaller. 

December  4,  1889,  there  was  an  appreciable  difference  in  the  growth  of  the  wheat  of 
each  plat.  The  first  seeding  was  strong  and  vigorous;  the  last  very  weak.  The  least  differ- 
ence was  between  the  second  and  third  seedings.  March  3,  1890,  the  larger  growth  was  on 
the  first  seeding.  The  second  and  third  seedings  had  made  a  fair  growth  while  the  last 
seeding  was  very  weak,  being  partly  killed.  The  subsequent  cold  weaiher  in  March 
injured  it  further,  and  also  injured  the  third  seeding  considerably  more  than  the  second. 

Yield.  The  following  table  gives  the  yield  of  grain  in  bushels  and 
straw  in  pounds  per  acre: 

TABLE  SHOWING  DATE  OF  SOWING,  AND  YIELD  OF  GRAIN  AND  STRAW. 


1888-9. 

1889-90 

Date  of 
sowing. 

Grain, 
bu.  per 
acre. 

Straw, 
Ib.  per 
acre. 

Wt.  in 
grams  of 
loooker'ls. 

Date  of 
sowing. 

Grain, 
bu.  per 
acre. 

Straw, 
Ib.   per 
acre. 

Wt.  in 
grams  of 
loooker'ls. 

Sept.  22  
Sept.  29  .... 
Oct.  8 

38.2 
40.4 

•16  I 

4-570 
4,505 

3,  OCX 

36.4 
34-8 

•2?    Q 

Sept.  12  .... 
Sept.  23  
Oct.  4  
Oct    15 

32-4 
29.1 

20.8 
12    I 

3-750 
3.170 
2,45° 

I.7IO 

34-3 
34-5 
33-6 

3O 

1890.]  WHEAT    EXPERIMENTS.  349 

Experiment  No.  jj.      The  Effect  of  the   Time  and  Manner  of  Harvesting 
on  the   Yield  of  Wheat. 

The  object  of  this  experiment  was — 

1.  To  ascertain  at  what  period  of  growth  the  largest  yield  of  grain 
could  be  obtained. 

2.  To  ascertain  whether  any  of  the  substances  of  the  straw  passed 
into  the  kernel  after  it  was  cut,  and  under  what  conditions  this  best  took 
place,  if  at  all;    so  as  to  determine  whether  there  were  any  advantages 
in  shocking  over  cutting  the  grain  loose  and  allowing  it  to  dry  quickly, 
other  than  those  relating  to  the  economical  handling  of  the  crop. 

The  chemical  composition  and  milling  qualities  of  the  wheat  have 
not  been  studied.     The  results  given  relate  to  the  yield  only. 

GENERAL  STATEMENT  OF  RESULTS. 

1.  The  figures  obtained  are  not  entirely  satisfactory,  inasmuch  as 
they  indicate  that  the  errors  incident  to  the  execution  of  the  method  are 
considerable. 

2.  In  general  there  was  a  continuous  increase  in  the  air  dry  weight 
of  the  whole  plant,  roots  excepted,  from  the  first  period  when  the  ker- 
nels were  small  and  undeveloped,  until  the  last  period  when  the  kernels 
were  hard  and  dry. 

3.  In  general  there  was  a  continuous  increase  in  yield  of  grain  from 
a  given  quantity  of  straw  from  the  first  until  the  last  period. 

4.  With  more  uniformity,  there  was  an  increase  in  the  weight  of  a 
given  number  of  kernels  from  the  first  until  the  last  period. 

5.  The  increase  in  yield  and  size  of  kernel  was  most  rapid  from  the 
first  to  the  third  periods,  up  to  the  time  when  the  kernels  crushed  with 
difficulty  between  the  thumb  and  finger. 

6.  The  increase  was  decided  and  of  economic  importance  up  to  the 
fourth  period,  when  the  kernels  indented  under  pressure  of  the  thumb 
nail. 

7.  Between  the  fourth  period  and  when  the  wheat  was  dead  ripe,  ker- 
nels hard  and  dry,  the  results,  while  conflicting,  may  fairly  be  said  to 
indicate  a  slight  increase. 

8.  These  results  prove  beyond  question  that  at  the  earlier  stages  of 
seed  formation  a  considerable  transfer  of  material  from  the  straw  to  the 
kernel  may  occur  after  cutting,  if  the  wheat  is  placed  in  conditions  sim- 
ilar to  the  shocking  and  capping  of  bound  sheaves. 

9.  Whether  or  not,  at  the  later  stages  of  seed  growth,  there  is  an  in- 
crease of  weight  of  the  kernels  after  the  plant  is  cut  is  not  proved  by 
these  experiments. 

10.  So  far  as  getting  the  maximum  yield  of  wheat  is  concerned,  the 
results  indicate  that  it  is  better  to  allow  the  wheat  to  get  nearly,  if  not 
entirely,  ripe  and  that,  if  it  be  necessary  to  cut  at  a  much  greener  stage, 
shocking  and  capping  would  probably  be  beneficial. 


350  BULLETIN    NO.  II.  \_AugUSt, 

METHOD  OF  PROCEDURE. 

Both  seasons  twelve  five-pound  samples*  of  growing  wheat  were  cut 
weekly  at  dates  specified.  The  heads  of  four  samples  were  removed  im- 
mediately, both  straw  and  heads  being  afterwards  dried  under  shelter. 
Four  samples  were  dried  under  shelter  in  the  same  room  as  the  preceding 
four,  in  imitation  of  shocked  grain.  Four  samples  were  spread  on  the 
ground  in  the  sun  one  week,  or  until  thoroughly  air-dry.  About  one 
month  after  the  last  samples  were  cut,  the  samples  having  been  drying 
during  this  period  in  the  same  room,  the  number  of  heads  or  culms  in 
each  sample  was  ascertained,  the  kernels  threshed  and  cleaned,  and  the 
weight  of  the  straw  and  chaff  determined. 

Only  a  summary  of  the  results  is  given,  each  number  in  the  table 
being  an  average  of  the  four  samples  taken.  In  determining  the  weight 
of  the  kernels  of  100  heads  of  wheat,  about  30,000  heads  of  wheat  were 
weighed  and  counted  each  season. 

TABULAR  RESULTS. 

The  first  table  on  p.  35 1  gives  the  date  of  cutting,  the  stage  of  ripeness 
when  cut,  the  weight  of  the  kernels,  the  weight  of  the  straw  and  chaff,  and 
the  total  weight  of  100  culms  of  wheat  when  heads  were  removed  immedi- 
ately, when  dried  in  the  shade  without  removing  heads,  and  when  dried  in 
the  sun,  at  the  five  weekly  periods  for  the  years  1888  and  1889.  The  results 
are  based  on  the  theory  that  for  any  given  date  the  total  weight  of  a  given 
number  of  culms  would  be  the  same,  and  that  the  increase  in  weight  from 
one  period  to  another  represents  a  corresponding  increase  in  growth. 

An  examination  of  the  table  will  show  that  this  has  not  been  found 
strictly  true,  indicating  that  the  samples  cut  at  a  given  date  varied  in  ripe- 
ness or  in  growth.  Although  the  numbers  in  the  table  represent,  usually, 
the  average  of  twenty  pounds  of  fresh  substance,  the  variation  is  often  con- 
siderable. The  variations  of  the  samples  which  were  dried  in  the  sun  are 
partly  due,  however,  to  errors  in  manipulation.  In  drying  on  the  ground 
in  the  sun,  the  samples,  especially  during  the  later  cuttings,  were  subject  to 
loss  on  account  of  the  attacks  of  mice  and  birds,  but  while  the  later  cuttings 
which  were  dried  in  the  sun  are  felt  to  be  untrustworthy,  the  earlier  cut- 
tings are  believed  to  be  fairly  trustworthy.  It  is  thought,  therefore,  that 
with  this  explanation  it  is  better  to  give  all  the  figures  as  obtained.  The 
weight  of  a  given  number  of  kernels,  as  stated  in  a  later  table,  would  not 
be  affected  materially,  probably,  by  the  losses  mentioned. 

The  second  table,  p. 351,  gives  the  weight  in  ounces  of  1,000  kernels  of 
air-dry  wheat  under  the  different  conditions  and  at  the  periods  named: 

This  is  probably  a  more  satisfactory  method  of  comparing  results, 
as  there  is  but  little  opportunity  for  errors  in  manipulation  and  a  full  op- 
portunity for  verification  of  results.  There  is  a  substantial  uniformity  of 
results  both  seasons  by  this  method.  The  ripened  kernels  were  32  per 
cent,  heavier  in  the  same  variety  in  1889  than  in  1888. 

*  The  last  week's  cutting  in  1888  was  2.5  lb.,  and  it  was  2  Ib.  in  1889. 


i89o.J 


WHEAT    EXPERIMEN'IS. 


351 


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The  heaviest  weights,  both  of  the  kernels  from   100  culms  of  wheat 
and  of  1,000  kernels,  were  always  obtained  from  the  last  cutting,  when 

TABLE  SHOWING  WEIGHT  IN  OUNCES  OF  1,000  KERNELS  OF  WHEAT,  AIR-DRY. 


1888. 

Period. 

Heads  re- 

Dried in 

Dried  in 

moved. 

shade. 

sun. 

I 

0.29 

0.48 

o  42 

2 

0.60 

0.71 

0.7 

3 

0.92 

o-95 

0.77 

4 

0.95 

0.91 

0.92 

5 

i  .00 

0.91 

0-93 

Average  .  .  . 

Q-752 

0.792 

o  748 

1889. 


ds  re- 

Dried  in 

Dried  in 

ved. 

shade. 

sun. 

.24 

0.31 

0.25 

.61 

0.71 

0.62 

.92 

1  .09 

I  .02 

•23 

I  .22 

1.23 

•3i 

1.23 

I.  21 

.862 

0.912 

0.865 

352 


BULLETIN    NO.    II. 


[August,  1890. 


the  heads  were  removed  immediately.  Taking  these  weights  as  the  stand- 
ards, the  relative  weights  of  the  kernels  from  100  culms,  and  of  1,000 
kernels  from  each  of  the  cuttings,  cured  in  each  of  the  ways  described, 
have  been  computed  in  per  cents,  of  the  standards,  and  the  per  cents,  are 
given  in  the  following  table: 

TABLE  SHOWING  RELATIVE  WEIGHT  OF  KERNELS  OF  100  CULMS  OF  WHEAT  AND 
OF  1,000  KERNELS,  IN  PER  CF.NTS.  OF  STANDARDS. 


Date  of 
cutting. 

1888. 

Relative    wt.   (air  dry)  of   kernels  ol 
IOO  culms  of  wheat. 

Relative  wt.  (air-  day)  of   1,000 
kernels  of  wheat. 

Heads 
removed 

Dried  in 
shade. 

Dried  in 
sun  . 

Average 

Heads 
removed 

Dried  in 
shade. 

Dried  in 
sun. 

Average 

June  igth 
June  26th 
July  3d- 
|uly   loth 
July   17th 

19 
51 
9° 
93 

IOO 

39 
60 
81 
95 
97 

35 
67 
72 

95 
92 

31 
59 
81 

94 
96 

29 
60 
92 
95 

IOO 

48 
7' 
95 
9i 
91 

42 
70 

77 
92 

93 

40 
67 
88 
93 
95 

Average. 

70.6 

74  4 

72.6 

75-2 

79.2 

74.8 

1889. 

June  nth 
June  i8th 
June  25th 
July  2d 
July  gth 

12 

35 
74 
98 

IOO 

21 

58 
76 

99 
96 

i3 
43 
70 

94 

*83 

15 
45 
73 
97 
93 

18 

47 
70 

94 

IOO 

24 
54 
83 
93 
94 

19 

47 
78 
94 
92 

20 

49 
77 
94 
95 

Average  . 

63.8 

70 

60.6 

65.8  1       69.6 

66 

*  Injured  by  mice  and  birds. 

The  numbers  showing  the  relative  weight  of  kernels  of  100  culms  of 
wheat  should  agree  with  the  numbers  showing  the  relative  weight  of  1,000 
kernels  of  wheat,  provided  there  are  no  errors  in  manipulations,  unless 
kernels  were  formed  after  the  first  cutting.  If  kernels  were  thus  formed, 
it  may  be  a  possible  explanation  of  the  fact  that  the  relative  weight  of 
1,000  kernels  was  higher  in  the  earlier  cuttings  than  the  relative  weight  of 
the  kernels  of  100  culms  of  wheat. 

This  table  not  only  shows  concisely  the  general  trend  of  the  result?, 
but  also  the  extent  to  which  the  results  may  be  considered  trustworthy. 
It  merits  a  close  inspection  by  any  one  interested  in  the  subject. 

THOMAS  F.  HUNT,  B.  S  , 

Assistant  Agriculturist. 

All  communications  intended  for  the  Station  should  be  addressed, 
not  to  any  person,  but  to  the 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION,  CHAMPAIGN,  ILLINOIS. 
The  bulletins  of   the    Experiment  Station  will   be    sent   free  of  all 
charges  to  persons  engaged  in  farming  who  may  request  that  they  be  sent. 

SELIM  H.  PEABODY, 

President  Board  of  Direction. 


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